Plastic container and closure



May 19, 1964 P. T. SCHURMAN ETAL PLASTIC CONTAINER AND CLOSURE 'Filed Oct. l5, 1962 i i i 5 i i I i i i i INVENTORS PETER T. SCHUH/VAN 5g /Q Y/fO/VD C. COA/FER TTRNEYS.

United States Patent O Gasport, N Y., assignors to Airmold Plastics Inc., Tonawanda, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,562 Claims. (Cl. 220-42) Ibis inventionrelates generally to the container art, and more specifically to a new and useful container and closure of thermoplastic material.

A primary object of our invention is to provide a thermoplastic container and closure construction prod-ucing a tight seal therebetween and providing a smooth, substantially continuous side Wall form when assembled.

Another object of our invention is to provide a thermoplastic container and closure as aforesaid having a positive stop defining the fully on position of the closure.

In one aspect thereof, a container and closure of our invention is characterized by the provision of a container of thermoplastic material having a main body portion and la reduced end portion ha'ving an enlarged bead formation therearound in spaced relation to the ledge, and a closure of thermoplastic material having a distensible side wall portion of substantially the same cross-sectional dimensions `as the container main body portion `at the ledge, the closure side wall portion slip-litting over ,the reduced end portion of the container and being distended by thebead formation to provide a tight seal, the closure side Wall portion then contracting about the reduced end portion and seating against the ledge to provide'a closed container of smooth, substantially continuous side wall form.

'Ille foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of a container and closure of our invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of two presently contemplated embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the, accompanying drawing illustrating the same wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 is ya lside elevational view of a thermoplastic container and closure of our invention, the closure being @separated from the container;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof, but with the closure in fully seated position on the container; and

IFIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a fiat-sided container of our invention.

The container of our invention is made of any suitable thermoplastic material, polyethylene, polyvinyl, polypropylene, polystyrene and elastomeric polyolen being examples of plastic materials suitable for the intended purpose. The container closure ,also is made of a thermoplastic'material, but one possessing suicient elasticity to provide the desired seal with the container as more fully described herealter. Polyethylene, polyvinyl and elastomeric polyolen are example-s of materials suitable for the closure. v

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of our invention shown in FIGS. l and 2, the same comprises a container member 1 having la main body portion 2 closed at its lower end, and a reduced diameter end portion 3 extending `from the other, upperv end of main lbody portion 2. lThe reduced end portion 3 forms an outwardly or upwardly facing peripheral shoulder or ledge 4 around container 1 at the juncture of end portion 3 rwith main body portion 2, and in the illustrated form the width of ledge f4 is equal or substantially equal to the wall thickness of main body portion 2f.

The reduced end portion 3 is provided-.with an enlarged, outwardly projecting, annular bead formation 5 extendicc ing therearound, in spaced relation to ledge 4, for distending the cover member as ywill be described. If desired, the outer end 6 of reduced end portion I3` can be tapered, as shown, to facilitate slip-fitting the container cover thereon.

A cover is provided in the form of a cap or closure 7 having lan annular skirt 8 of substantially the same crosssectional dimensions `as rn-ain body portion 2 of container 1. That is, the inner and outer diameters of closure skirt 8 are identical, or nearly identical to the corresponding dimensions of container main body 2, in the illustrated embodiment. As a result, the Wall thickness of skirt 8 is the same or nearly the same as the width of ledge 4, whereby the closure skirt comprises a substantially uninterrupted continuation of container main body 2. The outer diameter of reduced end portion 3` being the saine or nearly' the `same as the inner diameter oi main body portion 2, the closure skirt 8 closely slip-lits about the container reduced end 3, as shown in FIG. 2. As a result, the closure skirt -8 is distended, in passing over the bead formation 5, as shown at y9 in FIG. 2.

This distension of the closure skirt 8 by the bead 5, completely around the inner periphery of che closure skirt, insures a seal suliiciently tight as to render the container watertight so long as the closed container is not undruly distorted. In addition, it secures the closure 7 in position on container 1. While the closure can readily be removed, by deliberately slipping it olf the container end 3', it is secured in closed position against inadvertent or accidental displacement.

Bead 5 is spaced from ledge 4 a distance sutlcient t0 enable the skirt 8V to lay back, and contract about the reduced end portion 3` in the region between bead 5 and ledge 4. This distance is on the order of three-eighths of an inch, or more. As a result, the memory characteristic of the thermoplastic closure skirt material causes the open end of the closure to contract about the container reduced end portion, after passing over and being distended by the ybead 5, whereby the closure end is alined with ledge 4 `and seats thereagainst. lThe ledge 4 thereby provides a positive stop, dening the fully closed position of the closure member 7.

Ilhe identity, or substantial identity in outer diameter of the container main body 2 and the closure skirt S at the juncture therebetween causes the latter to comprise a continuation of the former. This provides the fully closed container with a substantially continuous outer wall, giving a smooth, pleasing appearance. The distension 9, although sufficient to provide la tight seal, blends smooth-ly with the adjacent side Wall 'and is so slight as to be barely perceptible.

Thus, it is seen that the container and closure of our invention Ifully accomplish the intended objects, providing a tightly sealed thermoplastic container, with the closure secure `against displacement while being' readily removable when desired, and providing a positive stop while preserving a smooth and streamlined appearance. The container is adapted for blow molding, and the closure can be either injection or blow molded.

The container and closure of our invention have utility yfor la wide Variety of purposes. The form of FIGS. 1 and 2 is useful, for example, in the storing of blue prints and other rolled papers. #For some purposes, a flat-sided container is more suitable, as. for example in packaging items such as hacksaw blades and the like, and the container and closure of our invention are readily provided inl flat-sided form, las illustrated in FIG. 3.

The container 10 has a main body 20' and a reduced end i'30 adapted to receive a closure, not shown, corresponding to the container 10` in the same manner as closure 7 corresponds to itsv container '1. The juncture between reduced end 30 and main body 20 provides a ledge 40 completely around container 10, and the` reduced end portion 30 is provided with an enlarged bead formation 53 cornpletely therearound, in spaced relation from ledge 40 just as bead 5 is spaced from ledge 4. The outer end of reduced end portion 30 can be tapered, as at 6i). Except for side wall form, `the embodiment of FIG. 3 is in all respects the same as the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2, and it has been added to this disclosure only to show that the container and closure of our invention are not limited to a particular cross-sectional configuration.

Having fully disclosed `and completely described our invention, and its mode of operation, what we claim as new is:

1. A container and closure therefor comprising, ia container of thermoplastic material having a main body portion and a reduced end portion forming Ian external shoulder around said container `at the juncture of said main body and reduced end portions thereof, said reduced end portion having an enlarged bead formation therearound in spaced relation to said shoulder, and a closure of thermoplastic material having a distensible side wail portion slip-fitting over said container end portion, said closure side wall portion having substantially the same tcrosseectional dimensions as said shoulder and being distended by said bead formation to provide a seal, said bead formation being `spaced from said shoulder `a distance sufficient to enable said closure side lwall portion to contract about said container end portion between said bead formation and said shoulder and seat against the latter when said closure is in fully closed position on said container.

2. A container and closure therefor comprising, a container of thermoplastic material having Ia main body portion closed at one end thereof and a reduced end portion 4at the opposite end thereof, said main body portion providing a ledge around said container at the juncture between said container portions, said reduced end portion having lan outer dimension substantially equal to the inner dimension of said main body portion and having an out- Wardly projecting bead formation therearound in spaced relation to said ledge, and a closure of thermoplastic material having a distensible side wall portion slip-fitting over said container end portion, said closure side wall portion being of substantially the same cross-sectional dimensions as said container main body portion at said ledge yand `being distended by said bead formation to provide a seal, said bead formation being spaced from said ledge a distance sufficient to enable said closure side wall portion to contract about said container end portion between said ledge and said bead formation, said closure side wall portion seating against said ledge and forming a continuation of said container main body portion when said closure is in fully closed position on said container.

3. A container and closure therefor ns set forth in claim 2, wherein the outer end of said container reduced end portion is tapered.

4. A container and closure therefor as set forth in claim 2, wherein said container and said closure are of curved side wall form.

5. A container and closure therefor as set forth in claim 2, wherein said container and said closure are of at side wall form.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,718,980 Strom Sept. 27, 1955 2,852,054 Motley Sept. 16, 1958 2,998,896 Miller Sept. 5, 1961 3,032,939 Andersen r May 8, 1962 

1. A CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR COMPRISING, A CONTAINER OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A MAIN BODY PORTION AND A REDUCED END PORTION FORMING AN EXTERNAL SHOULDER AROUND SAID CONTAINER AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID MAIN BODY AND REDUCED END PORTIONS THEREOF, SAID REDUCED END PORTION HAVING AN ELARGED BEAD FORMATION THEREAROUND IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID SHOULDER, AND A CLOSURE OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A DISTENSIBLE SIDE WALL PORTION SLIP-FITTING OVER SAID CONTAINER END PORTION, SAID CLOSURE SIDE WALL PORTION HAVING SUBSTANTAILLY THE SAME CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS AS SAID SHOULDER AND BEING DISTENDED BY SAID BEAD FORMATION TO PROVIDE A SEAL, SAID BEAD FORMATION BEING SPACED FROM SAID SHOULDER A DIS- 